There have been Fell Ponies at Lownthwaite since at least 1889, when Thos Wales and his mother Mary moved to Lownthwaite at a time when equines were the “power house” of agriculture. Today the Lownthwaite ponies are one of the last semi-feral herd of Fell Ponies to roam the Northern Pennines and are managed by mother and daughter who are the 5th generation of the family.
This podcast was recorded in March 2022
Alison Bell and Christine Morton with Lownthwaite Fingerprint
Christine Morton and Lownthwaite Flicka II
Alison with Mary Bell on Lownthwaite Bramble aka Bunny
Show notes
Equines the powerhouse of Agriculture
History of Lownthwaite
Ponies on the fell
Ponies in storm Arwen
Ponies forecasting the weather
Frank Wales Master and Friend not Boss and Slave
Clydesdale v Shire horses
Docking and trimming tails (NB: Christine meant coagulant not anti-coagulant when talking about spiders web)
A predominantly black herd
“Ponies that go to the fell have to be surefooted and hard - and if they’re not - they won’t come back”
The cycle of the seasons
Lambing, calving and foaling
Pit ponies, Gallowas and Jaggers
The piece of ponies through the years “Why do we bother to keep them?”
Wartime rationing - Storm Boy comes to Lownthwaite
Harry Wales, Chair of FPS and introduction of height limit
Grading up and the FPS close the stud book
Teaching the young generations
Where are we at?
Breeding. Why do we do it?
Produced and Directed by Tom LLoyd for the Fell Pony Breeders Association in 2010
Harry Wales at Lownthwaite
Actually its Frances Awde (Christine’s sister) but it’s a wonderful photo
